Folk singer Fairhazel recently released his newest project Brief Encounters. This project features 11 tracks, with the ending track “A Little Bit” being the encapsulation of what he’s known for: being a lyrical storyteller. The song is lyrically intentional — it’s not what we typically hear out of more radio-friendly folk-inspired songs.
The song has a vulnerable and digestible emotional tone laced into the lyrics. Fairhazel speaks to a human emotion that most, if not all, of us can relate to: sadness. But the song’s charm is certainly its dissonance. The lyrics tell a completely different story than the melodic makeup of the song suggests. He manages to set the emotional tone for listeners with the lyrics, “It’s just another Monday morning / Nothing’s gonna change / A little bit of sunshine pushing through the rain / Come on spilling from my window / Little light take the grey from me.” The lyrics clearly depict a heaviness that many can relate to.
Sonically, the song is more upbeat than the lyrical content would suggest. It’s one of those songs that, unless you’re paying attention to what’s being said, you ultimately end up bopping your head along because of the bright acoustic string composition. However, the song is very vocal-forward. It’s not overproduced, and it highlights what’s being sung.
Vocally, his performance matches the emotional tone of the song perfectly. He’s speaking to how bittersweet it is to understand and digest that sadness lives among everyone, even the happiest people you know. This along with the contrast between the lyrics and the instrumentals pulls the entire project together and makes it relatable to a wide variety of listeners. It’s an easy listen for those who want to enjoy a good melody and relatable for those who take a deeper dive into the meaning of the song.
